Current wireless mobile communication devices include microprocessors, memory, soundcards, and run one or more software applications. Examples of software applications used in these wireless devices include micro-browsers, address books, email clients, instant messaging (“IM”) clients, and wavetable instruments. Additionally, wireless devices have access to a plurality of services via the Internet. A wireless device may, for example, be used to browse web sites on the Internet, to transmit and receive graphics, and to execute streaming audio and/or video applications. The transfer of Internet content to and from wireless device is typically facilitated by the Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”), which integrates the Internet and other networks with wireless network platforms.
With respect to email messages, a message may contain a common or frequently asked question (“FAQ”). When a second user receives a FAQ from a first user via email, the second user will typically have to enter a standard response that has been entered in response to the same FAQ many times previously. This can be a time consuming and frustrating process for the second user especially if the FAQ has been posed by several users or if the standard reply to the FAQ is a long one or requires research to find the answer. Examples of FAQs include the following: “Is there a list of backdoors on the device? If so where is it located?”; “Why does your email message show up as having an invalid certificate?”; and “How can I load SMIME onto my device?”
One solution for the second user is to establish a FAQ web page or site that contains a list of FAQs and responses. The second user may then provide a link to the first user to direct the first user to the FAQ web page. However, there are several problems with this solution. First, some users consider that responding to an email with a link to a FAQ web page is not very tactful as it implies a sentiment which may be expressed as follows: “You are the 100th person to email this question to me and I can't be bothered to respond to it anymore”. Second, users still have to remember the FAQ web page link. Third, the information for the FAQ web page has to be stored in a convenient location where both internal and external users can have access to it. However, it is time consuming to find and maintain a location where this information can be stored. A user's company could create a common location and easy to use web interface for updating the FAQ information, but this would simply shift the burden to the company rather than actually saving time. In addition, it can be time consuming for users to input and retrieve information from a company run site.
Therefore, one shortcoming of present wireless and other devices is their inability to effectively generate responses to FAQs received by email. Furthermore, the need to effectively generate responses to FAQs is increasing in importance with the increase in the number of email related applications being run on wireless and other devices.
A need therefore exists for an effective method and system for generating replies to FAQs received by email messages in wireless and other devices. Accordingly, a solution that addresses, at least in part, the above and other shortcomings is desired.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.